Rhinella ceratophrys ( Boulenger 1882 )

Barrio-Amorós, César L., Rojas-Runjaic, Fernando J. M. & Señaris, J. Celsa, 2019, Catalogue of the amphibians of Venezuela: Illustrated and annotated species list, distribution, and conservation, Amphibian & Reptile Conservation (e 180) 13 (1), pp. 1-198 : 15

Rhinella ceratophrys ( Boulenger 1882)

Holotype: BM 80 .12.5.151.

Type locality: “ Ecuador.”

Distribution: Region 5. Widely distributed in upper Amazon Basin, from northeastern Peru, through eastern Ecuador and southeastern Colombia, into southern Venezuela. Its occurrence in Brazil was presumed ( Fenolio et al. 2012) and verified by Rojas-Runjaic et al. (2017). These last authors reported new localities for this species with specimens from Venezuela at Cerro Marahuaca and at Cerro de la Neblina, Amazonas State. Elevations 1,350 –2,713 m asl.

Remarks: Mijares-Urrútia and Arends (2001) confused a female specimen of Rhaebo nasicus from La Escalera with Rhinella ceratophrys (CBA, personal observation). Barrio-Amorós (1998) doubted the identity of Rivero’s record (based on a single juvenile of 12 mm SVL). However, Fenolio et al. (2012) recently verified the Venezuelan specimen and confirmed its identity using morphological and morphometric data. Recent reports of this species from up- and highland western tepuis solves its distribution in Venezuela. Further sampling and analyses will determine if a species complex exists and may further be elucidated (Rojas-Runjaic et al. 2017). Fouquet et al. (2007a) removed this species from the Rhinella margaritifera species group.

Selected references: Rivero (1961, 1964b); Cochran and Goin (1970); Mijares-Urrútia and Arends (2001); Fenolio et al. (2012); Rojas-Runjaic et al. (2017).